Fire & Emergency Services

Office Fires Infographic

In the workplace, nothing is less welcome than an office fire. A blaze disrupts workers, causes property damage and sometimes worse. Companies are legally required to have fire safety procedures in place, and preventing office fires is vital. Unfortunately, various circumstances can lead to a fire and subsequent property damage or injuries. The following statistics show how disruptive these blazes can be today.

- According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments respond to an estimated 3,340 office building fires annually.
- This leads to an annual average of four deaths, 44 injuries and an astounding $112 million in direct property damage.

Every blaze starts with an ignition source and builds from there. A fire that goes unnoticed can cause large amounts of damage in a short period of time. Plus, office workers are often trained to evacuate rather than fight these fires.

Time of Day Matters

- Most office fires occur between noon and 2 P.M. on weekdays
- 31% of fires occur between 7 P.M. and 7 A.M. but account for 67% of total property damage
- Office blazes are less common on weekends because fewer people on location means fewer opportunities for ignition

What Causes Fires in the Office?

- 29% of fires are caused by cooking equipment, yet they account for only 6% of damage
- 23% of blazes are caused by electrical, lighting or heating equipment, accounting for a combined 18% of damages
- Surprisingly, only 10% of fires are ignited intentionally, but they comprise 20% of property damage.

For more information on office fires and how to prevent them, check out the infographic below created by Eastern Kentucky University’s Online Bachelor’s Degree in Safety program.